Computer De-codes the Language of Dogs

Doggie Language Decoded by Computers

Do you ever feel like you know what your pet is trying to tell you? Well, now, so do computers. Newly developed software can recognize dogs by their bark as well as decode the universal language of barking. Scientists at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary have discovered that dogs have specific barks when presented with different situations. Fourteen Hungarian Sheepdogs were recorded when alone, when approached by a stranger, while playing, and during a fight. The sounds were then run through a program that was able to identify features of each bark from the dogs. Although it's not perfect, the computer was successful at identifying when the dog was barking at a stranger 63 percent of the time, while identifying play was a bit tougher at a six percent success rate. Scientists think that is because barking while at play has evolved with the domestication of the animal. It just goes to show that I really do know what North is telling me! Do you know what your pup is saying when he barks?